Imperialism refers to the “policy, practice, or advocacy of extending the power and dominion of a nation especially by direct territorial acquisitions or by gaining indirect control over the political or economic life of other areas” – Merriam Webster
Militarism is “the belief that it is necessary to have strong armed forces and that they should be used in order to win political or economic advantages” – Cambridge University Press
Background Information: Throughout history many empires and nations have notably focused on imperialistic and militaristic strategies for enforcing their power. These include examples from Asia, the Middle East, Africa, Europe, and perhaps America. In an effort to increase national power and influence within an international scale, leaders utilized strict practices of internal armament external control.
Aims: Although it is not possible to map the exact view and goals of imperial or militaristic bodies, there are many speculations which attempt to explain the political, social, and religious motives behind them. Arguably, the primary basis of these policies is the desire economic and political growth and stability. National interests of monetary prosperity and political filtering drove nations to extend their foreign policy’s. On racial grounds, these ideologies were justified with rationality, as John A. Hobson - an English economist and writer had stated: “It is desirable that the earth should be peopled, governed, and developed, as far as possible, by the races which can do this work best, i.e. by the races of highest 'social efficiency'.” Lastly, the democratic enforcement of certain religious, political, ethic, or cultural views shaped the means for militaristically tactical advancement. Quite recently illustrated by World War II, certain extremist political, ethnic, or religious groups and/or leaders have drawn very specific and aggressive generalization paths for the spread of their ideals or beliefs.
WWII Context: Within the relative timespan of World War II, many leaders resorted to both imperialism and militarism bases of development strategies. An great example of this paradigm shift in government policy was exemplified by Nazi Germany, and its dictator Adolf Hitler. After seizing power of Germany, Hitler ignored the constraining articles enforced upon Germany by the Treaty of Versailles, and launched military growth and development protocols by industrializing warfare ammunition manufacturing. In addition, the Nazi desire to expand national borders (or “righteously claim Germany’s land”) clearly illustrates her imperial struggle to set colonial or inclusive acreage to its own custody. Lastly, the racial implications of natural selection brought about by Hitler’s separationist struggle to exterminate “lesser races”, and let those “ethnically advantaged” rule Germany and then perhaps the world, similarly displays his front of forceful expansion. Similarly, in his book "Mein Kampf" or "My Struggle", Hitler displays his attachment to the Nazi ideals of his political causation, and how these doctrinal values drove Germany's imperial expansion and reinforcement protocols at the time.
Criticisms: Imperialism and Militarism have bothcommonly been subject to ethical judgment by critics, as being totalitarian, inhumane, and essentially uncivilized in nature. A Very Anti-Imperialistic View:
Definitions:
Imperialism refers to the “policy, practice, or advocacy of extending the power and dominion of a nation especially by direct territorial acquisitions or by gaining indirect control over the political or economic life of other areas” – Merriam Webster
Image from:
http://blackboard.vuw.ac.nz/webapps/lobj-wiki-bb_bb60/wiki/2009.1.POLS209/course/Totalitarianism_Nazi_Germany_?course_id=_38503_1
Militarism is “the belief that it is necessary to have strong armed forces and that they should be used in order to win political or economic advantages” – Cambridge University Press
Image from:
http://americanhistory.unomaha.edu/module_display.php?mod_id=63&review=yes..
Background Information:
Throughout history many empires and nations have notably focused on imperialistic and militaristic strategies for enforcing their power. These include examples from Asia, the Middle East, Africa, Europe, and perhaps America. In an effort to increase national power and influence within an international scale, leaders utilized strict practices of internal armament external control.
Aims:
Although it is not possible to map the exact view and goals of imperial or militaristic bodies, there are many speculations which attempt to explain the political, social, and religious motives behind them.
Arguably, the primary basis of these policies is the desire economic and political growth and stability. National interests of monetary prosperity and political filtering drove nations to extend their foreign policy’s.
On racial grounds, these ideologies were justified with rationality, as John A. Hobson - an English economist and writer had stated: “It is desirable that the earth should be peopled, governed, and developed, as far as possible, by the races which can do this work best, i.e. by the races of highest 'social efficiency'.”
Lastly, the democratic enforcement of certain religious, political, ethic, or cultural views shaped the means for militaristically tactical advancement. Quite recently illustrated by World War II, certain extremist political, ethnic, or religious groups and/or leaders have drawn very specific and aggressive generalization paths for the spread of their ideals or beliefs.
WWII Context:
Within the relative timespan of World War II, many leaders resorted to both imperialism and militarism bases of development strategies. An great example of this paradigm shift in government policy was exemplified by Nazi Germany, and its dictator Adolf Hitler. After seizing power of Germany, Hitler ignored the constraining articles enforced upon Germany by the Treaty of Versailles, and launched military growth and development protocols by industrializing warfare ammunition manufacturing. In addition, the Nazi desire to expand national borders (or “righteously claim Germany’s land”) clearly illustrates her imperial struggle to set colonial or inclusive acreage to its own custody. Lastly, the racial implications of natural selection brought about by Hitler’s separationist struggle to exterminate “lesser races”, and let those “ethnically advantaged” rule Germany and then perhaps the world, similarly displays his front of forceful expansion. Similarly, in his book "Mein Kampf" or "My Struggle", Hitler displays his attachment to the Nazi ideals of his political causation, and how these doctrinal values drove Germany's imperial expansion and reinforcement protocols at the time.
Criticisms:
Imperialism and Militarism have bothcommonly been subject to ethical judgment by critics, as being totalitarian, inhumane, and essentially uncivilized in nature.
A Very Anti-Imperialistic View:
Sources of Information:
>Class Wiki
>http://www.internationalviewpoint.org/spip.php?article243
>http://www.lewrockwell.com/vance/vance147.html
>http://www.sidewalkbubblegum.com/category/comics-about-war-imperialism-militarism/
>http://www.payvand.com/news/07/dec/1262.html
>Mein Kampf "Kavgam" by Adolf Hitler (Turkish Translation - Mehmet Altun)